Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List

Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «R»:

Rate, erythrocyte sedimentationRate, erythrocyte sedimentation: A sedimentation rate,
or "sed rate", is a blood test that detects and is used to monitor inflammation
activity. It is measured by recording the rate at which red blood cells (RBCs) sediment in
a tube over time. It increases (the RBCs sediment faster) with more inflam...

Rate, fetal mortalityRate, fetal mortality: The ratio of fetal deaths
divided by the sum of the births (the live births + the fetal deaths) in that year. In the
United States, the fetal mortality rate plummeted from 19.2 per 1,000 births in 1950 to
9.2 per 1,000 births in 1980. ...

Rate, heartRate, heart: Number of heart beats per minute. The
normal resting adult heart beats regularly at an average rate of 60 times per minute.
(Young children's hearts beat faster). The speed of the heartbeat (heart rate) is
governed by the speed of electrical signals from the pacemaker of the heart, the ...

Rate, infant mortalityRate, infant mortality: The number of children dying
under a year of age divided by the number of live births that year. The infant mortality rate is also called the infant death
rate.
The infant mortality rate is an important measure of the well-being of infants, children, and pregnant women becau...

Rate, maternal mortalityRate, maternal mortality: The number of maternal deaths
related to childbearing divided by the number of live births (or by the number of live
births + fetal deaths) in that year. The maternal mortality rate in the United States in
1993 (and 1994) was 0.1 per 1,000 live births, or 1 mother dying per...

Rate, mortalityRate, mortality: A death rate. There are a number of different types of mortality rates as, for examples, the following:
The fetal mortality rate: The ratio of fetal deaths to the sum of the births (the live births + the fetal deaths) in that year.
The infant mortality rate: The number of children...

Rate, neonatal mortalityRate, neonatal mortality: The number of children dying
under 28 days of age divided by the number of live births that year. The neonatal
mortality rate in the United States, which was 8.4 per 1,000 live births in 1980, declined
to 5.8 per 1,000 live births in 1990....

Rate, pulseRate, pulse: The pulse rate is most often taken at the
wrist. It measures the number of pulsations in the radial artery each minute....

Rate, sedRate, sed: A sedimentation rate, or "sed
rate", is a blood test that detects and is used to monitor inflammation activity. It
is measured by recording the rate at which red blood cells (RBCs) sediment in a tube over
time. It increases (the RBCs sediment faster) with more inflammation....

Rate, sedimentationRate, sedimentation: A blood test that detects and
monitors inflammation in the body. It measures the rate at which red
blood cells (RBCs) in a test tube separate from blood serum over
time, becoming sediment in the bottom of the test tube. The
sedimentation rate increases with more inflammatio...

Rattlesnake biteRattlesnake bite: A poisonous bite by a member of
the pit viper family. All rattlesnakes are venomous and secrete poisonous venom. Rattlesnakes are the main cause of death from snake bites in the United States.
The emergency treatment of rattlesnake bites is essential. With proper care, rattlesn...

Raw eggRaw egg: Uncooked, unpasteurized egg. Salmonella enteritidis, a harmful bacterium, can be transmitted from infected hens directly to the interior of their eggs before the shells are formed. Even eggs with clean, uncracked shells can be infected. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) n...

Raynaud's diseaseRaynaud disease: A condition resulting in skin
discoloration of the fingers and/or toes when a person is exposed to
changes in temperature (cold or hot) or to emotional events. This
condition can occur alone or as a part of another disease (such as
rheumatoid arthritis). When the condition occ...